Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday presented government subsidy cheques to entrepreneurs to set up new cinema halls and reopen or renovate closed and old ones in the state.

This has been done with the aim to help the entertainment industry of Assam get back into the track.

This is a first of its kind scheme that has been implemented by the Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation Limited.

The government subsidy cheques were given to five entrepreneurs by the chief minister.

For new cinema halls, the government would bear a subsidy up to 25 per cent or Rs 75 lakh, for the renovation of cinema halls subsidy of Rs 25 lakh would be provided and for the opening of cinema old halls, the subsidy would be Rs 50 lakh.

The Assam government has released 40 per cent of the subsidy under the scheme on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion CM Sonowal said the government has announced the scheme to promote Assamese cinema along with films of other languages.

The scheme will also help the entertainment sector to turn into a potential industry of the state, he said.

The chief minister also said that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the livelihoods of the people associated with the Assamese film industry.

Those provided subsidy for opening new cinema halls are Jonaki Cinema Hall in Tezpur, Kelvin Cinema Hall in Guwahati, Zelimax in Bongaigaon, Chaya Cinema Hallin Tangla and PG Enterprise in Nagaon.

For reopening or renovation of closed and old cinema halls, those selected are Indrapuri Cinema Hall in Barpeta, Anuradha Cine Complex in Guwahati, Nakshatra Cinema Hall in Lakhimpur, Mayapuri Cinema Hall in Bongaigaon and Nazira Film Cooperative Societies in Nazira.

It may be mentioned here that the Assamese film industry was gradually limping back to normalcy but the anti CAA protests in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have again pushed it back by some miles.